The prior art provides numerous embodiments of holders/dispensers for paper coffee filters of the non-cone variety, e.g. pleated basket type. In those constructions the paper filters nest within one another, like the skin of an onion. Each time one is used or dispensed the next one presents itself. However, the prior art does not show a drip-type coffee makers or machine having or being formed with a compartment for unused paper cone-type coffee filters of the kind used in such machine. When such filters are needed for the machine it is necessary to obtain them from some other location, typically the box in which they were purchased.
Cone-type paper coffee filters, as opposed to basket type filters stack upon each other and do not nest within one another prior to use. FIG. 1 illustrates the configuration of a typical construction of a cone-type (e.g., Melitta type) filter described above. The filter itself has a modified cone outline when unexpanded and shape when expanded. They may be formed by folding a filter paper, e.g., a triangle shaped filter paper, upon itself along edge 3 (FIG. 1), cutting said paper and crimping edge 2 (FIG. 1) from point A to arc edge 1 (FIG. 1), leaving edge 1 (FIG. 1) uncrimped in order to enable to expansion along arc edge 1 (FIG. 1) into a cone-shaped filter. FIG. 3 shows two cone filters of different sizes superimposed upon one another. FIG. 2 shows the filter paper as expanded and in a configuration for into which coffee grounds are placed after said filter is placed within a filter support structure, which could itself be located inside of a drip-type coffee machine or directly upon a coffee urn or pot or cup.
Before being placed on a support structure within a coffee making machine or placed directly above a coffee cup or pot and expanded in a support structure to reveal the cone shape within which the coffee grounds are placed, the cone-type paper coffee filters are typically pressed or folded flat and placed on top of one another within a paper box. The dimensions of the box roughly correspond to the depth being based on the number of filters present in the box (collective thickness of filters present); the height of the box being the straight line distance from one point on the circumference of the flat pressed filter to a point directly opposite it (often one side of the flat filter is the one which has been bounded together so as to form the cone shaped filter itself when expanded) and the width of the box actually corresponding to the straight line distance on the flat pressed filter from the bottom of the filter to the top of the filter. The box typically open from the top by way of a paper flap whereby the filters can be retrieved. FIG. 4 illustrates the configuration of the filter and box described above. This box is typically where filters are located when not in use.
The prior art provides numerous examples of holders for basket type filter holders than cone-type (e.g., Melitta-type) coffee filters. For example see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,097,984 and 5,197,630. Moreover, these holders are separate from and not integrated into a coffee machine. The prior art embodiments for cone-type (e.g., Melitta-type) coffee filter holders, however, are not sealable and are open to the surrounding environment as, for example, the Melitta disposable paper filter holder made and sold by Melitta USA, Inc. The disadvantages of an open holder is that the filters are open to the environment and may become dirty and possibly unusable from contamination in the local, typically kitchen, environment (e.g., via dust, dirt, insects, liquids or other means). In addition, these filter holders are not designed to be capable of holding cone filters of different sizes at different times or simultaneously. In the case of the Melitta filter holder, it is open at the top, unsealable and is made of plastic. There is adhesive on the holder that permits the open filter holder to be stably affixed to an object such as a coffee machine or wall and thereby not fall down if placed in an upright position. Similarly, the open to the environment cone-type filter holder marketed by Emsa GMBH is designed to be hung from a supporting rack or bar. In addition, the Emsa holder is designed with an upper surface which curves to correspond only to the curve or arc edge 1 (FIG. 1) on a certain size filter which fits exactly within it.
At present, however, there are no resealable storage holder or compartment for unused cone-type paper coffee filters located on or formed as an integrated part of a coffee machine.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a sealable and cone-type filter storage compartment as part of a coffee maker or machine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a coffee filter compartment on a coffee machine which is capable of holding cone-type coffee filters of different sizes (e.g., size nos. 2, 4 or 6 or the approximate equivalent size 102, 104, 106) which are usable on said coffee maker or machine and which would allow easy access to the filters when it is desired to make different amounts of coffee.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a cone-type coffee filter compartment-dispenser integrated on a coffee machine which presents cone type coffee filters in a manner which facilitates retrieving one filter at a time.